3.5 - An enjoyable, albeit it predictable retelling of Fall of the House of Usher featuring a whole lot of fungus! The strength of this novella lies in the atmosphere - you can feel the damp, smell the rot, and see the grotesque fungus. While not the most horrific book, it’s definitely unsettling and a little creepy.

An interesting and dark horror retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher. This story brings a fresh approach to horror with a nonbinary protagonist in a crumbling house thick with threatening illness and rot. The invented world pays homage while also creating an entirely new atmosphere. I really loved the nuances of the creepy story that plays out here, especially while experiencing the horrors through the eyes of Alex. If you're looking for eerie fungi, walking corpses, and decaying mansions, this book is the perfect choice.

Did you read (and love) The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe? Then perhaps you would be interested in hearing about What Moves the Dead, a creative retelling of the story – in a very visceral way.

Madeline Usher is dying. When the news finally makes its way to Alex Easton, they rush to her bedside as quickly as possible. Only when they arrive at Madeline's ancestral home do they find...not everything as it should be.

There's a secret in the House of Usher. A secret full of rot, decay, and nightmares. It will take the help of an unexpected ally for Alex to survive – let alone solve this mystery and save their friend.

“People get hung up on happiness and joy, but fun will take you at least as far and it's generally cheaper to obtain.”

With What Moves the Dead, I have officially read three T. Kingfisher books. And I'm already prepared to say this: T. Kingfisher is a genius. I love everything she writes and will be making a point of reading everything in her backlog and keeping up to date on all new releases. I'm hooked.

I've seen a few Edgar Allen Poe retellings over the years (usually in graphic novel format), but I've never seen anything like this. It made an already visceral and haunting tale (The Fall of the House of Usher) more...everything. It's borderline too much; it's so well done.

On that note, What Moves the Dead is not a read for everyone. It gets graphic at times, as one might expect. However, the unique twists and compelling writing style were enough to get me through the worst of it. Hopefully, other readers will feel the same way!

To say that What Moves the Dead is a visceral read would almost be an understatement. The complexity of this tale is unsurpassed. The characters are rich and intense, carefully crafted to change and morph throughout the tale. Then there's the atmosphere, which is so heavy that it may as well have been an additional character. It's brilliant.

Once again, I am blown away by T. Kingfisher's writing. I was so surprised by how much I loved What Moves the Dead – and I went into it expecting to fall in love. If you adore creative retellings, please give this one a try.

'What Moves the Dead,' by T. Kingfisher is a take on Edgar Allen Poe's, 'The Fall of the House of Usher.' It is gothic and creepy, as to be expected. A beautiful homage to the source. A quick read, more novella than novel, that Poe and horror fans should not miss!

Because this cover is so rad and sold me immediately - I had no idea this one was a reimagining of The Fall of the House of Usher by Poe until I started noticing some similarities while reading - and what an awesome and fun surprise!

So creepy and atmospheric, this one is definitely chock full of all the things that live in your nightmares - and its's so strangely, deliciously fun. It was my first by this author, and will not be my last!

For fans of The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina and Mexican Gothic - What Moves the Dead is sure to be the perfect book to pick up during this spooky season!

Truly splendid, once of the best books I’ve ever read or listened to. The gothic horror is reminiscent of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. The main character is a properly written NB lieutenant, visiting their old friends at the house of Usher. The Usher siblings are decaying, and something is taking over their bodies. The chills are absolutely real, and the characters feel vivid even as they rely on tropes of their countrymen. I was delighted by this read and won’t soon forget it.

Just as I requested this book I read T. Kingfishers other book The Hollow Places which I found quite disappointing. It discouraged me from reading this one for a very long time. But let me say, that was a TERRIBLE mistake. What Moves the Dead is an excellent novel full of horror, comedy, and unforgettable scenes. Early reviews said this was a grotquese body horror novel, but I felt that doesn’t do this book justice. This was so much more than simply a body horror book, T Kingfisher’s writer style allowed for her to incorporate funny moments woven between the horror and made such visceral horror digestible. Don’t get me wrong, it does have body horror, but it was not the main focus for me.

To me, I would focus on the atmosphere that this story creates. With the setting of the house omitting gothic elements and ghostly vibes (like a reimagining of a haunted house), Kingfisher creates a delectable atmosphere that engrossed me from page one and did not let me go.

This clever and claustrophobic retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher is done in marvelous T. Kingfisher fashion. Come stay awhile in the gothic manse of your nightmares, and do mind the fungus, won't you? I'm a sucker for Poe and retellings, so this was made for my grubby little hands and my only complaint was I would have liked MORE! Fantastic!

***eArc was given in exchange for an honest review by NetGalley & Tor Nightfire***

Who doesn't love a horror novella, especially one based off a famous story. Me, apparently. I don't think What Moves the Dead is terrible by any means, it's actually quite good and spooky and interesting. The writing is beautiful, the images provocative, the horror visceral. But I'm left wondering what exactly moved T. Kingfisher to adapt the Fall of the House of Usher in quite this way.

A book that I wish was a little longer. Perfect for what it was trying to do for a novella, but the world was vastly interesting and pray for more future books in this odd world. Kingfisher's prose is atmospheric and at times claustrophobic. It perfectly balances the Sci-Fi/Horror elements that I love in Kingfisher's writing.

Wow! What a fantastic read. This was my first T. Kingfisher book and I loved it. I can’t wait to read more from this author. This is a great novella for people who enjoy gothic literature. The vibes and the writing were top tier. I’ve never read the original Fall of the House of Usher story so I can’t compare them. This had so much that I wish for in a gothic manor horror tale. I only wish there had been some romance. Thank you netgalley and Tor Nightfire for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoyed Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, you’ll definitely enjoy this novel! And the cover? Gorgeous! ANNNDDD the inside artwork. Literally flawless ! Definitely a new favorite 🫶🏼

Apparently this is a retelling of Edgar Allen Poe’s story of The Fall of The House Of Usher which I’m ashamed to admit that I either have yet to read or probably read it for school and completely forgot. So I know what I’m reading next!

“This place breeds nightmares.”

What Moves the Dead is definitely in my top 10 (or even 5) books of 2022. There’s still a few months left in the year, and some amazing looking books on my TBR, but as soon as I finished this book, I already wanted to reread it. As someone who doesn’t really reread books, that tells how much I enjoyed it.

“The dead carry lanterns down in the deep.”

The Fall of the House of Usher is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe released in 1840. More than 150 years later, T. Kingfisher weaves it into a modern day story, while still retaining a lot of the classic elements that I enjoyed in the Poe story. What Moves the Dead takes the original gothic story and makes it queer, with a touch of fungus. My favorite.

As mentioned in Kingfisher’s author’s note, this novel is reminiscent of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Mexican Gothic is another one of my favorite novels, and while WMTD is similar, it definitely works on its own. File it under “a fungus comes in and makes everyone slightly crazy” and I will read it. And most likely love it.

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced review copy from Tor Nightfire, and my opinions are my own. Go buy this book if you haven’t already. I highly recommend.

CW for animal death, gore, suicide, war, and mental illness

ARC from Netgalley. VERY much enjoyed this, and for our extremely conservative library here, it is an ideal introduction to some of the themes involved. Awesome retelling.

While I didn't love this as much the other T. Kingfisher books I've read, it was still an enjoyable read. The writing made it feel like something that had been written long ago. It has been a while since I've read Edgar Allan Poe's House of Usher, but Kingfisher's writing in this novella could fit right alongside Poe's. I loved the quirky characters and though the pace was slow, the gothic atmosphere mostly made up for it. Kingfisher mentions Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic in the author's note and that feels like an apt comparison. If you enjoyed that book, I think you'd also enjoy this one.

I wanted to like this book but I didn't. This book reminded me of Mexican Gothic, which I just found ok. There was to much world building as well as to much fungus.

Enjoyment: 5
Total rating: 5


Inspired by Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher," we follow retired soldier Alex Easton as they rush to the Usher's home after receiving notice that Madeline is dying.

What they find is much worse than anticipated: possessed wildlife, fungal overgrowth and a very frail, unrecognizable Madeline. Her brother, and their friend, is not well either. Now Alex is racing against time to unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

Kingfisher is quickly becoming one of my fave authors. She has a talent for creating unique worlds, delivering humour consistent with the work's tone, building entire worlds seamlessly, and delivering delightful, well-rounded, engaging characters.

In What Moves the Dead, Kingfisher captures the essence of Poe's The House of Usher and gives it such a unique spin; the only similarities the reader encounters are the intense atmosphere, increasing tension and brilliant storytelling.

What Moves the Dead is set in an alternative world, containing its own pronoun rules, yet the narrative feels organic and easy to comprehend. The characters are delightfully early 1800-esque in nature, language and sense of humour.

It's worth checking the content warning before reading the novella, but I will say that Kingfisher handled it well and is written in a way that is pertinent to the plot.



Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to the publishers and NetGalley for providing a copy of What Moves the Dead

The cover is so creepy and pretty. This book is the perfect read for the fall/Halloween season. It's a creepy haunted house filled with mysteries and horror.

Mushrooms are having a moment in horror and I'm here for it.

This tiny book leaves behind a great sense of dread and mustiness in the best way. It's a House of Usher retelling and it's very creepy and gothic and I loved it

T. Kingfisher has chosen to put some interesting spin on a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe. Now, I had no problem with her changes because, to tell the truth, I read the book so many years ago that I barely remember it. What I do remember is there was a really creepy house out in the middle of nowhere, a big lake-ish thing nearby, and a couple of people who were friends of the narrator who were sick, and at the end, the house falls apart or something.

Now, What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher has all those same elements. The narrator now has a name, Alex Easton, a retired soldier who served with Roderick Usher in a war neither wants to talk about. Alex shows up unexpectedly after receiving a letter from Roderick's sister, Madeline, requesting Alex come as she's dying.

When Alex arrives, the entire area is depressing, the house is barely standing, in fact, parts have caved in, the tarn outside is weirdly off-putting, there are hardly any servants, the local wildlife gives those in the area the creeps, and neither Roderick nor Madeline look very healthy. The atmosphere is uber-Gothic (more literary than architectural meaning) the secondary or incidental characters are an interesting mix of individuals that help Alex to make some sense of what might be going on.

While not the horrific horror that will keep you up with the lights on, it will certainly make the hair on the back of your neck stand up and make you wonder about the reasonableness of putting mushrooms on your pizza. In other words, this story will probably stick to me because there's more logic, science, and real emotion which made me care about some of the characters.